LUXEMBOURG GRAND DUCHY MEDAL FOR ACCESSION GRAND DUKE HENRI IN 2000

heusy68 · October 29, 2022

Hello Gentlemen,

The Royal Commemorative Medals of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, are rare on market. Usually you found the decree on the online platform of Luxembourg Gouvernment Legilux.com

The last medal to have been mentioned on Legilux was the medal for 25 Years of reign of Grand Duke John of Luxembourg in 1989.

I acquired yesterday in an auction in Paris, what seems to me a possible tender, as 1st of all, I have never heard about such a medal before, 2nd no mention on Legilux

The medal is made by Arthus Bertrand, who also manufactured the Grand Duke John 25 Years of reign.

The medal is 28 Millimeters in diameters, 50 Millimeters height to tip of cross on crown. Tickness : 2 Millimeters. Weight : 16 Grammes.

To compare, the Grand Duke John Silver Jubilee has a weight of 18 grammes without its ribbon. (small 2 grammes weight difference for medals of equal size & equal crown).

There is a very weak triangle AB ( for Arthus Bertrand ) mark on rim, and a better made punch mark on the ring.

The reverse bear MM for 2000 in Latin, the year of Accession.

Grand Duke Henri ascended the Throne of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on 7 October 2000, after his father the Grand Duke John had announced on 24 December 1999 that he was going to abdicate the throne the next year.

I do remember that the ceremony was shortly postponed due to the car crash accident of the younger brother of Grand duke Henri , the Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and his wife Princess Sybille on 11 September 2000, as initially the planned date for accession was 28 September 2000.

Concerning the medal, I believe it was proposed to the Authorities of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by manufacturer Arthus Bertrand, but not approved. Actually the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a long tradition of issueing a Medal for the Wedding of the Heir toi Throne ( John in 1953, Henri in 1981, Guillaume in 2012 : Guillaume the son of Grand Duke Henri, not his brother !!!!, and in 2 occasion, a medal for Jubilee ( ie 50the Years of Reign of Adolph & 25 Years of John ).

ie : I will do another post concerning the Wedding Medal of Heir to Throne Guillaume of Luxembourg in 2012, because this very specific medal is NOT in Legilux, but I do believe that Grand Duke Henri had paid from his own money for this medal (even if I have no proof, that make sense, and I will explain why in a further post).

I would like to know if someone, in Luxembourg, in the Palace, or elsewhere had heard about this Accession Medal, and if ever a specific ribbon was planned for it ?

And if yes, would it be possible to get such a ribbon.

Regards to all.

Emmanuel